Meet Leonardo DiCaprio
– triple-A-list movie star,
green campaigner and
car company investor...
DiCap relaxes in
the scenery shop
of a Hollywood
studio set
WORDS: PAT DEVeReUX
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Leonardo DiCaprio & Fisker
R
eclining on a low,
dark blue sofa in a
penthouse overlooking
Manhattan’s jagged
skyline, triple-A-list
actor, millionaire and
eco-warrior Leonardo
DiCaprio smoothes his
hair and exhales deeply
as he remembers his
first-ever car memory.
“Oh boy...” he says.
DiCaprio is studying the
script for his next big Scorsese
blockbuster, The Wolf of Wall Street, but
has agreed to talk to TopGear – and only TopGear – about his latest
real-life role as an auto-industry investor. A few weeks ago he took
a financial interest in luxury car company Fisker Automotive, and
we want to know why. But before we get to that, first we want to
know a bit more about Leo’s car history.
Like pretty much everyone else in the world, it starts modestly.
“My father used to distribute underground comics in Los Angeles
using two really beat-up station wagons,” he says, remembering.
“One he nicknamed the Blue Whale, because it was just a horrible
used piece of junk, and the other one was called the Pus Mobile.
I used to sit in the back and read comic books and graphic novels
all day long while we commuted throughout Los Angeles.”
When the young DiCaprio wasn’t reading his dad’s greaserbrand comics in the back of those knackered estate cars, he could
usually be found under the hatch of his mum’s silver Datsun 210.
“We used to go everywhere in that car. I used to hang out in the
hatchback trunk area as that was like my own little campground.
I think she also had a Ford Pinto at one time, which is the eternal
joke of horrible cars, right?”
Right. The energetic-sounding small Ford is remembered
more for its ability to burn up its occupants than the road, thanks
to a poorly positioned fuel tank. But the experience of that clearly
didn’t put him off the Blue Oval’s products. DiCaprio’s first car
Fisker Karma
– the car of
choice for ecoaware celebs
was a Sixties Ford Mustang fitted with the classic Windsor 351
(5.8-litre) engine. It made an instant impression.
“It was incredibly fast, and I could smoke anyone on the
road,” he says. “The problem was it didn’t have power steering
and the engine would just shut off. So there I was, 16 years old,
with my learner’s permit driving on the freeway, trying to
manoeuvre around giant trucks and get to the side of the
road with no engine and no power steering…”
The fourth time it happened, DiCaprio realised he was using
up his lives far too quickly, and the car had to go. Luckily, that
wasn’t too hard to arrange as it transpired that the car wasn’t
legally his anyway. “It belonged to one of dad’s friends and had
just been loaned to me as part of some comic-book trade. I
thought it was my car until the guy came back and took it from
me. Which thankfully he did because it probably saved my life.”
Despite staring death in the face a few times, the experience
didn’t slow DiCaprio down. He says his passengers would
probably say he drives too fast, and blames his mother – “an
insane driver” – who taught him. And it didn’t do much to
put him off classic cars, either. Two attributes, as well as his
top-drawer acting chops, which made him the perfect fit for
the lead role of Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann’s soon to be
released remake of The Great Gatsby.
But I start to have my doubts about Leo’s car knowledge
when he starts talking about how much fun it was powering the
large, yellow Duesenberg around the Australian set of the film.
Duesenberg? I don’t know much about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
work, but if I know one thing for sure,
Jay Gatsby didn’t drive a Duesenberg. His
car was big and yellow, but it was also
definitely a Rolls-Royce Phantom I.
Deciding not to interrupt him, I make
a note to check the film credits of the new
movie later and carry on. But I have to
tell you now he was right. The new film
does feature a Duesenberg clone in the
place of the old Rolls – to the massive
consternation of classic-car buffs and
literary historians the world over – so I
take it all back and DiCaprio’s score is
unblemished. Lurhmann’s, however,
has dropped to zero.
When he’s not powering around
in murderously fast, classic car clones,
DiCaprio says he likes to drive himself,
not be driven, wherever he may be going.
“my sixties
mustang was
incredibly
fast – i
could smoke
anyone on
the road”
Speed and
environmental
salve in one
handy package
“dicaprio
reckons his
passengers
would
probably say
he drives
too fast.. ”
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Leonardo DiCaprio & Fisker
“leo’s green
credentials
were shown
by his arrival
at the oscars
in a prius”
Fisker: now
funded in part
by Leonardo
DiCaprio
A rarity: an
A-list movie
star with a
conscience
And, surprisingly perhaps, he’s not that choosy about what
he drives when he’s not at home. Instead of having one of his
favourite cars shipped to him for the six-hour trip to Vermont the
previous weekend, Leo rented a truck, just like anyone else would.
He also breaks the movie-star mould by not having a huge
car collection at his home in LA. “I have my Fisker, obviously,
and I have a Lexus hybrid, but I don’t own anything else,” he says.
“Ever since I learned about hybrid vehicles, that’s all I’ve really
owned.” He has a few motorbikes, he says, but nothing more.
The reason for this lack of extra driveway bling, is, of course,
DiCaprio’s desire to help the planet. Something that first stirred
in him when then US vice president Al Gore invited him to the
White House and gave him an environmental 101 talk. “That
was the defining moment,” he says. “That’s when I wanted to
know more about what I can do, how I can get more involved.”
From that moment in the late Nineties, DiCaprio has been
on a mission to do as much environmental work as possible.
From helping tigers, elephants and sharks to growing coffee
for good causes, taking part in Live Earth and working with big
sustainability organisations like Global Green, he’s leveraged
his fame in front of the camera to bring attention and cash
to the causes and companies that he believes are doing good,
environmentally responsible work.
The first the general public knew about his green credentials
was Leo’s appearance at the Oscars at the wheel of a Toyota Prius.
“I’m photographed constantly by paparazzi when I leave my home
so it was just a responsible thing to do as an environmentalist.
I really believe in endorsing new, progressive technologies
that are trying to make a difference.”
Little did he know that his appearance at the Oscars was the
main reason Henrik Fisker started the company. “No… really?” he
says incredulously, looking at Henrik sitting next to him. “Yeah,”
says Henrik. “I saw you getting out of the Prius, and I thought
122 october 2012 TOPGEAR .com
there’s got to be a market for an environmentally friendly car
which goes beyond the Prius. That was my first inspiration.”
“Wow,” says Leo, looking genuinely surprised and pleased. “I
had no idea. That is cool.” And it is. Here’s an activist actor trying
to get a message across, who finds out his actions are the reason
for the creation of a car company he likes and respects so much
he has just invested in it. It could almost be a script for a film.
So what drew DiCaprio to Fisker in the first place? “I started
trying hybrids, which were fantastic. But you can say that there are
lots of vehicles out there that get equal or better mileage. Then I
bought two electric vehicles, which I found I never wanted to drive.
I was afraid of being stranded on the Pacific Coast Highway and
standing at a restaurant for six hours while my vehicle’s plugged in.
“So the idea of this extended-range Fisker, which has the
ability to be electric for a full day if you’re not doing a road trip,
but also allows you to take a spontaneous road trip if you decide
to….” And the looks must have helped. “Oh yes, it’s fantasticlooking. It drives like a sports car. It’s amazing. It was a natural
progression. I wanted to be part of the company and invest in it.”
But, other than hoping to make a financial return on his
investment, and have Fisker help to raise awareness of his
Foundation, is there anything else he is hoping to achieve with
the partnership? “I think the only thing would be to make cars
that are lower in cost. And that’s coming soon with the Atlantic
[Fisker’s upcoming smaller car]. Because you want everyone
to be able to drive a vehicle like this.”
With his investment and high-profile backing, DiCaprio will
help move that vision closer to reality. Just don’t expect him to
devise a Beckham-style special edition Fisker. As great an actor as
he is, being a car designer is one role Leo won’t be auditioning for
anytime soon. “I don’t think I could be a better designer than he
is,” he says, pointing at Henrik. “So, for now, there are no plans.”
For now…